221

There were major disruptions on train journey back up today, but it actually wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.  I made a point of taking it as time to enjoy my ipod, and I did. A good example of how things like this help to make the world go round happier 😉

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219

Took the train down to Dublin this avo.  Its actually very relaxing even if it takes forever: reading, listening to my ipod… grrrrrreat.

Dinner with “collegues”  – who are so much more than just that – outside a restaurant in a surprisingly quiet waterside area of Dublin as the sun set.  Food was great too.

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201

The French IFES’ movement (and my excuse to come to France) started this afternoon and I was launched into French conversation and singing French praise which was cool.

However, the best conversation of the day started in French and ended up in English… 

I did a Bible College placement in Tours in 2005 and met Raphael and his wife at the church I was working with.  Back then, he was doing a little volunteer work with the GBU (French IFES/CUs) and I got to hang out a little with him at a CU meeting he was at.  So, because of his links, he was at the conference.  The moment of recognition and welcome was really cool – he’s so fun and generally one of the nicest people I’ve encountered.  But, anyway… we had a great conversation about life, discipleship, evangelism, France, God, faith… And he invited me to come lead worship at a conference in France in November!  It was just SUCH an encouraging and inspiring conversation.  Awesome.

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181

A church that serves Toffipops has gotta be a great place…

I enjoyed the time and space a drive home from Dublin (and a pit stop in Belfast) afforded to think, soul-search and listen to a talk on Galatians: ‘Preach the gospel and stop nagging people to try harder…’

Actually, this past few days has also brought a sense of reconciliation with a friend from a few years back where there had been a weird feeling of ‘we’ve-had-a-fight-but-actually-we-never-did’ before.  Glad that, at least in this one situation, I feel a little more grown up.

 And now? 

SLEEP! 😀

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149

A satisfyingly productive morning when a talk came together despite me thinking I had NOTHING to say!

SLOBS looked to be a difficult one, but again I was overwhelmed by the real sense that the Small Group Leaders are growing so much.  I loved their engagement with Scripture, with each other and with me – what a blessing.  I am reminded that its often in the struggle that we grow stronger.

A wee jaunt over to Derry to do an address at a ‘Lent’ service in a church – a chance to see some of the students there again and chat a little.  One man’s comment about being glad to hear that ‘students aren’t all bad’ made the CU movement all the more fresh and exciting to me too.

I called a friend I haven’t spoken to in almost a year.  It was easy – I just picked up the phone and did it!  As the phone rang I was thinking that I feel like a different person since we last spoke.  That made me nervous, but I discovered she’s been on a similar journey and that our friendship is still strong, still fresh and still organic!  Praise God for friends like that.  Praise God for growth in difficult times.

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134

I JUST BOOKED FLIGHTS TO FRANCE!!!!!!!!!!

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131

Breakfast in bed!

I then drove in the sunshine listening to great music.  I love that.  I also had a real sense of appreciation for the freedom I have to travel… very easily taken for granted or moaned about.

I’ve decided that I must make more time for reading, so I spent a couple of hours this afternoon with a book in my hand.  Think I fell asleep about 20 mins into that though…!  But, yeah – I enjoy reading.

Dinner (though, in itself nothing special) with two old school friends was great.  Not awkward and in reminiscing, I learnt that my bluntness isn’t a recently developed characteristic after all…!  I had thought that my friendship with one of these girls was long gone, but thanks to the other, its been rekindled!  I’m grateful for grown-up friendships that span time.

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